What is CLT?
Cross laminated timber
CLT surface qualities
NSI
Non-visibility
Quality
ISI
Industry view
Quality
WSI
Living View
Quality
ASI
Branch-free visibility
Quality
Advantages of CLT
45% shorter construction time
.... rent earlier
3% more lettable area
.... by the same
2/3 less weight
.... This saves costs at
7 x fewer truck journeys
For an eight-storey residential building in timber construction
Source: Housing in wood, arguments and built examples, proHolz Austria, September 2018
What is CLT / cross laminated timber?
CLT is also called "Cross Laminated Timber". The building material, which is also called cross laminated timber, is made of cross-laminated boards. The sustainable, solid boards are used as prefabricated parts for solid wood walls and solid wood ceilings of wooden houses. They can also be used for so-called wood-concrete composite ceilings.
Leidorf Holztechnik specialises in the processing of cross laminated timber / CLT. We bind more than 100,000 square metres of CLT for our customers every year.
CLT - a highly modern and sustainable building material
Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) is a revolutionary building material that has transformed the construction industry with its exceptional properties and versatile applications. Also known as cross laminated timber, CLT is an innovative timber construction in which multiple layers of timber are cross-glued together to create strong, durable and extremely resilient panels.
The production of CLT begins with the selection of high-quality wood slats. These slats are glued together in an overlapping arrangement, with the grain direction of the layers at right angles to each other. This cross-layer pattern gives CLT its impressive strength and load-bearing capacity in two main axes. The panels can be manufactured in different thicknesses depending on project requirements, allowing for a wide range of construction projects.
One of the most remarkable advantages of CLT is its sustainability. The material uses wood, a renewable resource, and helps reduce the ecological footprint. The use of sustainably managed wood ensures that for every wood plant felled, a new tree is planted to maintain the stocks. Furthermore, as a natural carbon reservoir, wood binds CO2 throughout its lifetime.
The exceptional strength of CLT enables a wide range of construction applications. It can be used for load-bearing structural elements such as walls, ceilings, floors, beams and columns. The stability and rigidity of CLT also makes it ideal for the construction of multi-storey buildings, including homes, office buildings, educational institutions and public buildings. In addition, CLT is also suitable for modular construction and prefabrication due to its fast assembly and precision.
Another remarkable feature of CLT is its excellent thermal insulation. The natural cell structure of the wood provides good thermal properties that contribute to the energy efficiency of buildings. This can lead to lower energy costs and increased comfort for the occupants.
The aesthetics of CLT are also remarkable. The visible wood structure gives the interiors a warm and inviting atmosphere, which contributes to a pleasant feeling of space. This makes CLT not only a technically advanced building material, but also a choice for architecturally appealing designs.
The use of CLT also opens up new perspectives for urban timber construction. Traditionally, wood has been used mainly in single-family house construction, but thanks to advances in wood construction technologies and standards, wood is also gaining importance in multi-storey and even high-rise urban construction. CLT plays a crucial role in this development, as it helps to increase the flexibility and speed of construction without sacrificing sustainability and aesthetics.
Overall, CLT has fundamentally changed the way we build. With its exceptional strength, sustainability, versatility and aesthetic appeal, CLT has established itself as a central element of modern construction. It enables the combination of technical innovation with environmental responsibility and design excellence, making it a fascinating and promising building material for the present and the future.
The history of CLT:
Developed in Austria, set out to conquer the world
Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), also known as cross-laminated timber, is a revolutionary building material that was developed in Austria in the early 1990s. The creation of CLT was a response to the growing demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly building materials. Engineers and researchers in Austria were looking for a way to use wood more efficiently and on a larger scale in the construction industry, especially in view of the growing demands for energy efficiency and sustainability.
The beginning: Austria as the cradle of innovation
In the 1990s, a group of Austrian engineers and timber construction experts began developing a new timber construction material that would overcome the traditional limitations of wood. The idea was simple but ingenious: layers of wood are laid crosswise on top of each other and glued together to create an extremely strong, stable and versatile building material. This material, CLT, was soon recognised for its outstanding structural properties, versatility and environmental friendliness.
The breakthrough came quickly when the first pilot projects in Austria demonstrated the efficiency of CLT. CLT was quickly accepted, especially in the Alpine regions, where wood is traditionally deeply rooted as a building material. The first multi-storey buildings made of CLT were erected in a short space of time, causing the construction industry worldwide to sit up and take notice.
The rise: CLT conquers Europe
Following its success in Austria, CLT quickly began to spread throughout Europe. In Germany, Switzerland and the Scandinavian countries in particular, the material quickly found favour. These countries, known for their pioneering role in sustainable construction, recognised the potential of CLT to drastically reduce the ecological footprint of construction projects.
A key factor in the success of CLT in Europe was the development of standards and norms that enabled the use of CLT in larger construction projects. This opened the doors for the use of CLT in demanding architectural projects, from residential buildings to schools and public facilities.
The global triumph: From North America to Asia
The next step in the CLT success story was the conquest of the North American market. In the 2010s, as awareness of sustainability also grew in the USA and Canada, the advantages of CLT were increasingly recognised. Especially in regions with a high risk of earthquakes, the ability of CLT to withstand vibrations was appreciated. CLT found its way into the construction of schools, office buildings and even skyscrapers.
CLT also began to make a name for itself in Asia, where a lack of space and high population density necessitated the construction of high-rise buildings. In cities such as Tokyo and Singapore, the first high-rise buildings made of CLT were built, confirming that the material was strong enough for urban requirements.
The future: CLT as the key to sustainable high-rise buildings worldwide
Today, CLT is a global phenomenon. It is being used in more and more projects that emphasise sustainability and innovation. From the first eight-storey timber building in Austria to the latest green skyscrapers in metropolises such as London, Vancouver and Melbourne, CLT shows that timber is not only a traditional building material, but also a pioneering one.
The vision for the future of CLT is clear: to serve as the main building material in urban high-rise buildings, helping to reduce CO2 emissions and promote sustainable cities. CLT, which was developed in Austria, is now ready to revolutionise the world of construction and stand as a symbol for the combination of tradition and innovation. It has its roots in the forests of Austria, but its horizons extend far beyond its borders - to the tallest buildings and the most sustainable cities in the world.
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